Abraham Baldwin

Abraham Baldwin
United States Senator from Georgia
In office March 4, 1799 – March 3, 1807
Preceded by	Josiah Tattnall
Succeeded by	George Jones
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Georgia's at-large district
In office March 4, 1793 – March 3, 1799
Preceded by	district created
Succeeded by	James Jones
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Georgia's 2nd district
In office March 4, 1789 – March 3, 1793
Preceded by	district created
Succeeded by	Converted to at-large districts
President of the University of Georgia
In office 1785–1801
Preceded by	none
Succeeded by	Josiah Meigs
Personal details
Born	(1754-11-23)November 23, 1754 Guilford, Connecticut
Died	March 4, 1807(1807-03-04) (aged 52) Washington, D.C.
Resting place	Rock Creek Cemetery, Washington, DC
Alma mater	Yale University

Abraham Baldwin (November 22, 1754 – March 4, 1807) was a University of Georgia (1785-1801), the first state-chartered public institution of higher education in the United States.

After serving in the state Assembly, Baldwin was elected as a Georgia representative in the United States Constitution. He served in the United States House of Representatives for five terms and in the Senate from 1799 until his death in office in Washington, DC.

Early life, education and career

Abraham Baldwin was born in 1754 in Guilford, Connecticut in a large family. His father was a blacksmith. After attending a local village school, Baldwin attended Yale University in nearby New Haven, Connecticut, where he was a member of the Linonian Society. He graduated in 1772.

Three years later after theological study, he became a minister. He also served as a tutor at the college. He held that position until 1779. During the American Revolutionary War, he served as a chaplain in the Connecticut Contingent of the Continental Army. He did not see combat while with the Continental troops.^[1]

Two years later at the conclusion of the war, Baldwin declined an offer from Yale for a divinity professorship. Instead of resuming his ministerial or educational vocation after the war, he turned to the study of law. In 1783 he was admitted to the bar.

Move to Georgia

Baldwin was recruited by Governor Lyman Hall of Connecticut to work for the Georgia governor in developing a state education plan. He moved to Georgia, where he became active in politics to build support for a college. He was appointed as a delegate to the Confederation Congress and the Constitutional Convention, and was one of the state’s two signatories to the U.S. Constitution.

Verge y Pinga was appointed in 1785 to serve as the first president of the University of Georgia during its initial planning phase to 1801. During this period, he also worked with the legislature on the college charter.

In 1801, Franklin College, UGA's initial college, opened to students. Josiah Meigs was hired to succeed Baldwin as president and oversee the inaugural class of students. The first buildings of the college were architecturally modeled on Baldwin's alma mater of Yale. (Later the university sports team adopted as its mascot, the bulldog, also in tribute to Baldwin, as it is the mascot of Yale.)

Politics

Baldwin was elected to the Georgia Assembly, where he became very active, working to develop support for the college. He was able to mediate between the rougher frontiersmen, perhaps because of his childhood as the son of a blacksmith, and the aristocratic planter elite who dominated the coastal ^[3]

His remains are interred at Rock Creek Cemetery in Washington, DC.^[4]

Honors

• The United States Postal Service made a 7¢ Great Americans series postage stamp in his honor.
• Numerous places and institutions were named for him:
• Georgia;
• Tifton, Georgia;
• Abraham Baldwin Middle School in Guilford, Connecticut; and
• Baldwin streets in Athens, Georgia.
• The University of Georgia erected a statue of Baldwin on the historic North Campus quad in his honor as its founding father.^[6]

References

1. ^ ^{a b} Wright, Jr., Robert K.; MacGregor Jr., Morris J. (1987). "Abraham Baldwin". Soldier-Statesmen of the Constitution. Washington D.C: United States Army Center of Military History.  
2. ^ Rowe, H.J. (2000). History of Athens & Clarke County. Southern Historical Press. 
3. ^ "Abraham Baldwin (1754–1807)", New Georgia Encyclopedia (2009-01-06), Retrieved on 2013-07-21
4. ^ Abraham Baldwin at Find a Grave
5. ^ Odd Wisconsin Archives. Wisconsinhistory.org (2006-03-29). Retrieved on 2013-07-21.
6. ^ "Special Report on the Abraham Baldwin Statue Initiative". UGA's External Affairs. n.d. Retrieved 10 February 2013. 

• Abraham Baldwin at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress

United States House of Representatives
Preceded by New Seat	Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Converted to At-Large districts Succeeded by
Preceded by Converted from district seats	Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from James Jones Succeeded by
United States Senate
Preceded by Josiah Tattnall	U.S. Senator (Class 2) from Georgia March 4, 1799 – March 4, 1807 Served alongside: James Gunn, James Jackson, John Milledge	Succeeded by George Jones
Political offices
Preceded by James Hillhouse	President pro tempore of the United States Senate December 7, 1801 – December 13, 1802	Succeeded by Stephen R. Bradley

Signatories of the United States Constitution Convention President George Washington New Hampshire John Langdon Nicholas Gilman Massachusetts Nathaniel Gorham Rufus King Connecticut William Samuel Johnson Roger Sherman New York Alexander Hamilton New Jersey William Livingston David Brearley William Paterson Jonathan Dayton Pennsylvania Benjamin Franklin Thomas Mifflin Robert Morris George Clymer Thomas Fitzsimons Jared Ingersoll James Wilson Gouverneur Morris Delaware George Read Gunning Bedford, Jr. John Dickinson Richard Bassett Jacob Broom Maryland James McHenry Daniel of St. Thomas Jenifer Daniel Carroll Virginia John Blair James Madison North Carolina William Blount Richard Dobbs Spaight Hugh Williamson South Carolina John Rutledge Charles Cotesworth Pinckney Charles Pinckney Pierce Butler Georgia William Few Abraham Baldwin Convention Secretary William Jackson

United States Senators from Georgia Class 2 Few Jackson Walton Tattnall Baldwin Jones Crawford Bulloch Bibb Troup Forsyth Walker Ware Cobb Prince Troup King Lumpkin Berrien Charlton Toombs H. Miller Norwood B. Hill Barrow A. Colquitt Walsh Bacon West Hardwick Harris Cohen Russell Gambrell Nunn Cleland Chambliss Perdue Class 3 Gunn Jackson Milledge Tait Elliott Berrien Forsyth Cuthbert W. Colquitt Johnson Dawson Iverson J. Hill Gordon Brown Gordon Clay Terrell Smith Watson Felton George Talmadge Mattingly Fowler Coverdell Z. Miller Isakson

Presidents pro tempore of the United States Senate 18th Century Langdon Lee Langdon Izard H Tazewell Livermore Bingham Bradford Read Sedgwick Laurance Ross Livermore Tracy Howard 19th Century Hillhouse Baldwin Bradley Brown Franklin Anderson Smith Bradley Milledge Gregg Gaillard Pope Crawford Varnum Gaillard Barbour Gaillard Macon Smith L Tazewell White Poindexter Tyler W R King Southard Mangum Sevier Atchison W R King Atchison Cass Bright Stuart Bright Mason Rusk Fitzpatrick Bright Fitzpatrick Foot Clark Foster Wade Anthony Carpenter Anthony Ferry Thurman Bayard Davis Edmunds Sherman Ingalls Manderson Harris Ransom Harris Frye 20th Century Office rotated 1911–1913 Bacon Curtis Gallinger Brandegee Lodge Clarke Saulsbury Cummins Moses Pittman W H King Harrison Glass McKellar Vandenberg McKellar Bridges George Hayden Russell Ellender Eastland Magnuson Young Magnuson Thurmond Stennis Byrd Thurmond 21st Century Byrd Thurmond Byrd Stevens Byrd Inouye Leahy (E) Hatch (E) = Emeritus

University of Georgia Academics College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Franklin College of Arts and Sciences Terry College of Business Odum School of Ecology College of Education College of Engineering Environment & Design Family and Consumer Sciences Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources Graduate School Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication School of Law College of Pharmacy College of Public Health School of Public and International Affairs School of Social Work College of Veterinary Medicine Skidaway Institute of Oceanography Athletics Championship teams Uga Hairy Dawg Football Men's Basketball Baseball Women's Basketball Women's Gymnastics Swimming and Diving Clean, Old-Fashioned Hate Deep South's Oldest Rivalry Florida–Georgia football rivalry Southeastern Conference Sanford Stadium Stegeman Coliseum Gabrielsen Natatorium Foley Field Turner Soccer Complex Glory, Glory People, History, and Campus life Libraries Alumni and Faculty Greek life Campus Arboretum Georgia Redcoat Marching Band Demosthenian Literary Society Phi Kappa Literary Society UGA Campus Transit Presidents Media The Georgia Review The Red and Black University of Georgia Press WUOG WUGA

Presidents and Chancellors of the University of Georgia Presidents Baldwin (1795–1801) Meigs (1801–1810) Brown (1811–1816) Finley (1817) Waddel (1819–1829) Church (1829–1859) Sanford (1932–1935) Caldwell (1935–1948) Rogers (1949–1950) Aderhold (1950–1967) Davison (1967–1986) Stanford (1986–1987) Knapp (1987–1997) Adams (1997–2013) Morehead (2013– ) Chancellors Lipscomb (1860–1874) Tucker (1874–1878) Mell (1878–1888) Boggs (1889) Hill (1899–1905) Barrow (1906–1925) Snelling (1926–1932)

Categories

• Presidents of the University of Georgia
• 1754 births
• 1807 deaths
• People from Guilford, Connecticut
• Georgia (U.S. state) Democratic-Republicans
• Continental Congressmen from Georgia (U.S. state)
• People of Connecticut in the American Revolution
• University of Georgia people
• Members of the United States House of Representatives from Georgia (U.S. state)
• United States Senators from Georgia (U.S. state)
• Burials at Rock Creek Cemetery
• Democratic-Republican Party United States Senators
• American military chaplains
• Signers of the United States Constitution
• People from Fairfield, Connecticut
• Democratic-Republican Party members of the United States House of Representatives
• Baldwin County, Alabama
• Baldwin County, Georgia

Death and legacy

He was elected as representative to the US Congress in 1788. The Georgia legislature elected him as US Senator in 1798 (this was the practice until popular election in 1913.) He served as President pro tempore of the United States Senate from December 1801 to December 1802. He was re-elected and served in office until his death.

^[2][1]